Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26
THF RICHMOND DISPATCH---SUNDAY. JUNE % 1857

the studio OF the litter OF cracked nuts.
muddy footmarks, and D stray brass
button, when knock at the door shook
cur house to its foundations.
"a man in the Sandbar livery was
unsteadily holding on TO the door han
die. He brought note which ought
10 have reached me an hour before.
Lord Sandbar would be happy TO sec
me at the Castle tomorrow. He wished
for some instruction and assistance in
photography, and also desired to have
some views of Ciffe and the Cas- 10
ruins. The terms offered were prince
~. How Teresita exulted
81 was at the Castle early next day.
II is splendid ivy-grown old pile, half
in crumbling ruins, the other half
dark and scowling with Notifications,
turret and battlcment, drawbridRe and
poricullis-the very home for the grim
yisaged, man-hating rccluse that ]
somehow expected to find or, If
not, then Byronic youth with
a baughty mien and woe stamped
on his passion furrowed brow. Lord
Sapdbar was neither. Only great,
solemn. awkward lout, with broad
shoulders and Iuddy countenance
composed into priggish sobriety. He
was evidently serious and began to
exhort me affectionately like q little
tract before | had finished unpacking
my traps. l didn't mind. 1t was all
in the days work, but i. looked as if it
hadn't agreed with the other visitor at
the Castle-a stout, iovial little gentle
man with q merry eye and weather
beaten countenance, whom Lord Sand.
bar called Major Carberry. found
that he was an old friend of Lord Sand
lars father, and had asked for a few
days shooting at Clife, and Lord Sand
bar, who had come down on business,
had stayed to entertain him.
81 think they must have had bad
time together. The Earl looked askance
at the Major as little dog does at q
big one who may take him up and
shake him any day the Major eyed
the Earl with curiosity not unmixed
with disgust. Good Lord that that
should be poor Ralph's SON.! / heard
him growl in consternated aside once.
Both received me and my camera cor
daily as sort of safe neutral subject.
The Major was, as l knew by report,
distinguished amateur artist, and one
whom it was worth my while to cult
vate. The Earl was anxious to learn.
Going to make magic lantern slides
for his Sunday-school tea parties the
Major explained.
I'VE worked very tremendously all
day, and l began to get considerably
interested in my employer. He was so
big. so strong so full of life and vigor,
80 incredibly sedate and goody. I'm
sure the Countess would say 'Nr
Oliphant, my stepfather, would not
allow, were phrases continually on his
lips, and all his talk was of the doings
of his own special little cOtcrie, out
side of which WAS no salvation. He
had a great deal to tell about his
work in the slums and the ragamuf-
fin class generally but it seemed to
me to consist chiefly in preventing its
objects being got at by other folks
missions which didn't happen to
match its shade of opinion.
However, by degrees be gave up
IRE aching when he found it was not ex-
pected from him. The Major relieved
bis mind by shooting all the morning
and working with us in the afternoon,
and we got along very harmoniously.
Lord Sandbar used to listen with zest
to some of the Majors marvellous sport
ing anecdotes Field sports might have
been passion with him if he had ever
been allowedto indulge it. When Ma
jor Carberrys "reminiscences took So
cial tu1n it was amusing to watch the
good young nobleman's face, pink with
apprehension of hearing something
naughty, his efforts to suppress a
shame-faced outlaw, and the extra
primness of his demeanOr for the next
few minutes.
Giles been bottled and corked up
too long, that young man, the Major
confded to me. His ideas are fer
menting in his head. There1l be an
explosion some of these days, and he
nodded ominously, perhaps not i'll con-
tent with having expedited the pro-
cess.
"On the fourth day when I arrived
at the Castle / saw directly that some
disturbance had already taken place,
though not of the kind the Ma
ior al ticipated. / found him pack
ing Lis apparatus in a wyathful hustle,
and relieving his mind with some
very bad language. A fly from the
Blue-Lion drove up the avenue after
me and waited at the door. I'm
going to Belminster, Yes, and | mean
to stay there. I've told that milk
sop there that if he won't spare a horse
and a trap for his fathers old friend
that, by Jove, I'll put no further strain
on his hospitality. 1t was letter from
his mamma that did it. I'm bad com
pany for him, forsooth Well, let my
lady look out. He's beginning to find |
the length of her apron-string. He'll |
cut it some day, and then-mark my
words, and the Majors tone rose to
the prophetic, unless he has the luck |
to fall into the hands of some woman
with brains enough for two, he'll go to
the dickens
Lord Sandbar was evidently much
Hurried and discompOsed by his guests
departure. arrived at the explana-
ton by degrees. 1t was Cup-Day at
Belminster, and Lord Sandbar had not |
only fatty refused to go himself, but
had also declined con principle to al-
low bis servants and horses to take the
Major. He had, no doubt. gained a
moral victory; but it had left him i'll
tempered and restless, very bitter
against the world and the things of it,
and determined to go back to town by |
the evening train.
"We had a very dull day together
/ was treated TO one or two sour little |
sermons that ought by rights to have
gone to benefit the Major, but he was
out of range. When got tired Of that
sort of thing l produced, by way of
diversion, all the proofs had printed |
of 'Pikey, and persisted in telling the |
story. The move was successful Gyp
sizes and the pikey race generally were |
class outside Lord Sandbar's preyiousex-
perience, and he listened greedily. Had
/ tried nany way to exert an influence
for good over this one ? l confess that |
it hadn't occurred to me to do 50. Had |
not considered it an opening-a man
ifest opening? The boy had feelings |
that might have been worked upon.
Lord Sandbar evidently regretted not |
having been there with tract to try.